Ally McCoist and Craig Whyte need to work fast in Rangers new era

Ally McCoist has taken the reins from Walter Smith as Rangers look to defend their SPL title. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA

A new era at Rangers will reveal as much about Ally McCoist's ability to succeed in management as that of Craig Whyte to end troubled off-field times at Ibrox.

For 90 minutes against Hearts as the Scottish Premier League season opens on Saturday, McCoist will find himself under more of a spotlight than at any point of his honour-laden time as a Rangers player.

Yet the bigger picture relates to Whyte, with intrigue remaining over whether or not the new Rangers owner can stabilise and improve the club to the level their supporters demand. Under Walter Smith, Rangers claimed the last three SPL titles against a backdrop of almost incessant warnings about the club's financial position.

The best-case scenario for Rangers is that Whyte's purchase of David Murray's majority stake alters Rangers in a positive way. The worst impacts negatively on McCoist. Needless to say, the futures of these two men are intrinsically linked.

"He wants to do well, he's a winner," says McCoist of Whyte. "In the discussions that we have had – I can't answer questions for him – I have sensed that he wants the team to do well and win, as you would expect.

"It's been a learning curve for everybody. It is obviously going to be a learning curve as I'm the new manager and Craig is the new owner so it is new to us all. It is just a matter of coming to terms with us and getting to grips with it immediately. You don't get time at this club."

Scepticism surrounding Whyte and his plans stems in the main from critical public words uttered by then board members. When Whyte completed his takeover in May, a statement signed by board members immediately expressed concern "about a lack of clarity on how future cash requirements would be met".

A key question is why, in this climate, anyone would want to take on a Scottish football club, not least one with significant overheads. Whyte's first act was to take an £18m debt out of the hands of Lloyds Banking Group, that will remain owed to the Rangers owner at least until a potentially costly case between the football club and Revenue & Customs is resolved. Whyte's most positive contributions to Rangers thus far have been the handing of long-term deals to key players; Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker and Steven Davis.

Yet the team toiled in all but one of their pre-season games. Lee Wallace has arrived from Hearts, Juan Manuel Ortiz from Almería with the United States international Alejandro Bedoya agreeing a pre-contract deal. The Rangers support and McCoist had surely hoped for a more meaningful influx of players, even if this notably early kick-off to the Scottish season offers little help to clubs in urgent search of new personnel. With the exception of Wallace, it is difficult to imagine those pursued by Rangers were on any "A" list of targets.

Whyte has assured supporters he will increase an initial summer transfer budget to McCoist of £5m; it now remains to be seen whether or not "fresh" money is generated or invested for such a purpose. With Rangers required to compete at home and in Europe – McCoist must guide his team through a Champions League qualifying process in order to boost the balance sheet – the £5m figure always appeared ominously low.

"It has been very, very hectic," says McCoist. "And it is still going to be hectic, because there is still a lot of work to be done. But we'll get there.

"I'm still looking to get more bodies in. I've said it often, the boys we've got give us everything and they are a fantastic group of players but we've said to the team that we are going to give them a helping hand by getting a few bodies in."

In short, McCoist would like to be better placed for Hearts' visit. "In an ideal world, yes, but there are a number of factors that haven't helped us at all. First, the timing of the start of the season."

McCoist's legendary status from the time when he scored Rangers goals with such regularity mean he will at least be handed more leeway than most. From Rangers' own support, that is; others are anxious to learn how someone famed for having a joke for every occasion, and captain's appearances on A Question of Sport, can adapt to football's ruthless frontline.

"I don't see it that way," replies McCoist when asked if this marked a significant juncture in his career. "I look on it as an important step for the club. I spent 15 years as a player here and four and a half as an assistant, and it has never been any different; results have always been the most important thing.

"So that is all I'm interested in, the natural progression of the club and the team. I'm not shirking my own responsibility. I am fully aware of the responsibility that goes with being the manager of Rangers."

And is he cut out for that role? "Time will tell. I can't answer that question right now but time will tell. I'll be as committed to the job as I have been as an assistant and as I was as a player. That is all I can promise."

In the coming months, the following through of guarantees from boardroom level is as vital as that dugout attitude.

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